Metroid: Cobalt Terror
by Umi no Oni
Summary: Samus wakes up after a nightmare, and the nightmare becomes reality. But who's reality? And who is Orion? References Metroid Prime and Fusion.
1. The Terror Begins

Darkness. Corridor. Fear. Run.  
Darkness. Corridor. Fear. Run.  
Darkness. Corridor. Fear. Run.  
Darkness. Corridor. Fear. Run and never look back.  
Darkness. Corridor. Fear. Run and never look back.  
Darkness. Corridor. Fear. Run and never look back.  
Darkness. Corridor. Fear. RUN.  
  
Samus woke up. She got a bearing of her surroundings. She was still inside her ship. She got up to check if any mission data has come in while she slept. None. Tired, she went back to her small bunk and fell back asleep...  
  
Darkness. Room. Caution. It. Fear. Run.  
Darkness. Room. Caution. It. Fear. Run.  
Darkness. Room. Caution. It. Fear. Run.  
Dark yellow eyes. Screech. Fear. Run. Run! RUN! Stuck. Darkness. Dark yellow eyes. Fear. Shock. Immobile. Fear. Fear. Fear... Screech.  
  
Samus woke up again, drenched in sweat. She reached for her arm cannon, not realizing that she was still in the safety of her ship. She checked her surroundings again, realizing it must have been a nightmare. She layed back down, thinking of what it could be. She came to the conclusion that it must've been a lapse of reality. She closed her eyes. After a few seconds, her alarm rang. She got up and checked the computer. Mission data. She was to go to the planet of Felzeoa and eliminate a growing threat. She opened up one of the two attachments. This one was a map with coordinates of the best safe landing zone. She studied it for a moment. She was to land on a small cave opening of a mountain. She closed it and opened the next one. She gasped in horror and fell backwards into her chair.  
  
A small dark-blue glob with some plates appeared on screen. It had claws protruding from the underside of itself, and the plates were covered with spikes and more claws. It had a plate on the front that had a cut in the middle. Inside were dark yellow eyes. Samus' nightmare flashed in her mind. Her computer beeped a warning, telling of a communication. She opened it.  
  
"Ah, Samus. Good to see you again. Did I disturb you?" a deep male voice said.  
  
"No. But what is this data?" she asked.  
  
"It's your next mission. You are to land on the planet of Felzeoa and exterminate those creatures." he replied.  
  
"Yes, I can tell that. How many are there, what are they, and what can they do that is threatening?" she asked.  
  
"There are about two hundred of them, they are Goltronga Hatchlings, and they have a near-bottomless stomach. They are quite slow, and it takes approximately thirty years for it to reach adulthood. That's where the real problem lies." he explained.  
  
"What kind of problem?" Samus asked.  
  
"Well, it's been twenty-nine years since we've discovered this planet. There were only three Goltronga Warriors, adult versions, present at the time. They were very vicious, and our troopers were slaughtered. Seventy-seven people died on that mission, and the remaining twenty-three could barely compete with the other two. They managed to kill one, but more people died from the last one, bringing us to forty-five. They fell back and got to their ship and lifted off from the surface. The last Warrior leaped up and sprouted wings. It chased them into space, without any sort of repercussions.  
  
"The ship managed to reach the mothership, but by that time the Goltronga Warrior had caught up to them. It cut one of the sides of the ship to shreds, sucking the troopers out. They were all in their space suits by then, but the creature dragged some of them in and ate them alive. It ate twenty-one people in space. The remainder of the troopers engaged thrusters and got within range of the mothership, pulling it in with its tractor beam. The Warrior still caught up to the ship, but the troopers ejected into space and were brought in by another tractor beam. The mother ship had to open fire upon the troopers ship. One person had stayed behind to keep the creature in one spot. The creature and ship had been vaporized within seconds. The only remaining trace of the creature was its spinal column, which we had taken into cold storage, and the hatchlings left on the surface.  
  
"We didn't have enough firepower or people to wipe them out then and there. We had pulled back into Federation Space and had assembled an armada to assault the planet. By the time we had enough firepower and troopers, a battle had broken out on a Federation controlled planet by the Space Pirates. My team, which was on the original mothership from the previous encounter, volleyed for a recall to Felzeoa, but we failed. Two days ago, our computers reminded us it was almost time for the Goltronga Hatchlings to turn into Warriors." he finished.  
  
"So you need me to finish what you failed to start?" Samus asked.  
  
"Yes. You are to leave immediately." he stated.  
  
"Before I do, what can you tell me about the planet?" Samus asked.  
  
"All we know is that the Chozo had once populated it. We believe that there is a small chance that they created this sentient species for an unknown reason, but we cannot take that chance. You are to report to the small control center built nearby the landing site for some equipment." he said.  
  
"Alright." Samus replied.  
  
Samus killed the communication and went to get her suit on. She wondered what kind of equipment she would be getting, and if it would be compatible with her suit. It was currently upgraded to a Varia Suit with Missile Launcher, Morphing Ball, Hi-Jump Boots, Space Jump, and Speed Booster, and had plenty of missiles and super missiles, as well as the deadly Plasma Wave Cannon with charge feature. She sat down into her chair after she was finished suiting up, and pulled away for the planets coordinates.

* * *

**Space Pirate Frigate _Harbinger_, unknown air space.**  
  
"Sir, we have intelligence reports that the Hunter is making her way to Felzeoa. What action is to be taken?" asked one Space Pirate.  
  
"We are to send a team to the surface and extract as many Goltronga as possible. We'll leave everything else to Science Team." replied another Space Pirate.  
  
"Phazon supply is in containment and in plentiful numbers, though it continues to decay. We'll need to work fast if we are to control these creatures." stated a third Pirate.  
  
"Yes... Control and study. If it is true that the accursed Chozo did create them, controlling them and progressive study may prove useful for future references to the Metroids. What is their current status?" asked the second Pirate.  
  
"They are reproducing at an slow rate. Current counts bring us to fifty. Their cold storage units are functioning perfectly, though their surrounding areas have become a frozen hazard. A member of Science Team slipped on such a patch and released several Metroids. We lost four members from the small incursion, but the Metroids were put back into cold storage. Only one was killed. The Pirate that slipped was immediately fed to the escaped Metroids." replied the third member.  
  
"Serves them right. They released a potential danger to the ship, though all of our patrols are equipped with cold beams. We are going to be in orbit of Felzeoa in four units." stated the first Pirate.

* * *

Samus' ship entered the atmosphere of the planet. It descended towards the designated landing zone slowly, as she monitored the surrounding area. The ground was a lush green, while everything else was rocky and barren. Her landing zone was also barren, and the nearby cave had broken a waterfall. The falling water could supply the nearby Command Center, but there was no sign of it being harvested. She shut down non-mission essential functions of her ship and set it for hover. She inserted her arm cannon into a slot on a computer and typed a command. Her energy shields began to refill. When they were at full, she typed another command that would open the hatch when she removed her cannon. She pulled it out an loaded all mission data into her suit, then jumped out the hatch. It sealed as she landed on the surface. The ground was moist and her foot got stuck in it. She made a note to move her ship next time she came back so she wouldn't have to pull her foot out.  
  
Samus approached the Center. It was half built into the mountain and several troopers came out from inside. She entered the Center and was greeted by a female Scientist.  
  
"Ah, hello Samus. I presume you are here for the equipment?" she asked.  
  
"Yes. But first, is there a problem with the water?" Samus asked.  
  
"Yes and no. When the water is exposed to the air, it gets contaminated with an unknown toxin. When it gets reabsorbed by the ground, the toxin is filtered out for the most part. We have harvesters under the surface to catch and filter out the rest of the toxins." the scientist explained.  
  
"What kind of damage can the toxin do?" Samus asked.  
  
"If ingested, it can create nausea and corrode the body systems. If it comes in contact with skin, it will eat away at it and infect the systems. Your suit can only be protected by these toxins with your new equipment, but the vapors can still create lung damage. We have some more to prevent that as well." the scientist explained again.  
  
"Are these toxins only in the air or-" Samus started.  
  
"They do not exist in the air. They only exist in the water, which is only triggered by the air. These toxins are also found in the saliva of the Goltronga." the scientist said. "Now, if that was your last question, we have a mission to be done."  
  
The scientist smiled and led Samus further into the complex. They went down several corridors, and eventually came to a large room. It had a table in the center and was filled with medical and sanitary equipment, as well as several doctors. The scientist led Samus towards the table, and was greeted by each doctor with a name and friendly handshake. The scientist turned towards Samus.  
  
"Samus, we need you to remove your suit. In order for us to integrate the metals and equipment, we need complete access to it. Also, we need to give you some vaccinations." they explained. Samus nodded and removed her suit, helmet first. After she was done, the scientist spoke up again. "Alright. Our techs will take your suit to the Armory, where you can pick it up when you're done. But, for now, we need you to undress. You are to have minor surgery."  
  
Samus winced from shock. Surgery? They should have said that first. She really wanted to get back into her suit now. But she had to finish the mission, and the surgery was bound to aid her. She undressed after coming to this decision. She knew that doctors and scientists wouldn't take interest in her features, mainly because there was a lot of medical science at work. After undressing, she was motioned to get on the table and lay down, back up. The doctors prepared and tested the needles, and one by one, they injected vaccines into Samus, explaining what each one did. She flinched with each prod, and lastly, they had to inject her with an anesthetic, to put her to sleep and numb the pain. The doctors proceeded to make a small incision into her back and pulled out a small cluster of bones from a container. They cut carefully into her spine, and spread the pieces apart. They inserted the smaller spine into hers, and injected the surrounding area with a green gel. They finished with a small bandage over the incision.  
  
The scientist approached Samus. She had the doctors clean up, and flipped Samus over onto her back. She whispered into Samus' ear, "The Space Pirates are going to pay me well..." She smiled, and kissed Samus, injected her with an orange gel. She backed away from Samus, and called some doctors back in. She ordered them to get Samus dressed.

* * *

**Space Pirate Frigate, in orbit of Felzeoa** "Sir, report coming in from our informant. She says that the Hunter has been altered, and that its only a matter of time before we see any effects. She'll report back if any developments occur." said a Space Pirate.  
  
"Good. Dispatch a few teams to the planets surface. I want to start building the base as soon as possible. Send in Science Team when its done." commanded another Pirate.  
  
"Yes sir. Teams deploying. Survey Teams say that a few good areas have been located, but building any base at them would take time." reported another Pirate.  
  
"Send a message stating that many bases are to be built, connected by a network of tunnels and mines." ordered the second Pirate. "This time, the Hunter will not stop us!"

* * *

Samus stirred wearily. She opened her eyes slowly, adjusting to the low levels of light in the room. She looked around. She couldn't see anybody, so she got up off the table and sat on the edge. Pain roared through her back, but calmed down shortly after the lights slowly brightened. She looked around the empty room for her Power Suit. She couldn't find it, but remembered that it was taken to the Armory. She got off the table and motioned for the door. It was open, and the halls beyond were filled with some troopers. A doctor was coming down to the room.  
  
"Ah, Samus. I see you are awake. The Armory is down that corridor, where you can pick up your modified Power Suit." he said. Samus nodded. "Good. Now, just let me take a look at your back... There we go. I'll just take a look at this and... Good." the doctor pulled the bandage away. Samus' back was completely healed. "Off you go now."  
  
Samus went down the corridor. She stopped at a hexagonal door that read 'Armory'. She keyed it open. Inside were a few technicians and a green Power Suit.  
  
"Hello. This is your modified Power Suit. If you would just get in it, we would like to run some tests." said one tech. Samus was overjoyed and quickly got into her suit. It had a different feel to it, like it was just built and... a machine. She put the helmet on and it felt less like a machine and more like her own body. She looked around her HUD, not being able to see anything or get anything to open. She faced the tech.  
  
"Okay. The suit is working functionally, but no computer systems are on." they said, reading off of a hand pad. He pressed it in various locations. Samus' HUD slowly appeared. It only showed the Energy Shield levels, which was empty. "Great. We'll turn on all the basic systems that are required. You can turn the rest on yourself after we're done." they looked back at their pad, and pressed some more. Samus' HUD displayed her Beam selection, Missile count, radar, map, and visor selection and data. She opened the command interface and checked out everything to see if there were more upgrades than the material and color. There was.  
  
Her suit now had a Spider Ball function that lets her climb anything in Morph Ball mode, a Spring Ball function that lets her propel herself in Morph Ball mode, a high explosive Bomb for Morph Ball mode, a new visor that lets her see energy signatures, a new Cluster Missile function that fires multiple missiles that home in and divide, and a new Energy Projector beam that uses her Energy Shield levels as ammunition. This was all further explained by the tech, who was cut off by a Goltronga attack. The communication systems blared.  
  
"Warning, Goltronga attack! We are under attack by Goltronga! There are several Warriors breaking in through the Laboratory! All personal respond!"  
  
Samus looked around the Armory. She found a terminal next to the door. She ran to it. It displayed that the door was locked. She entered a standard Federation command into it. A port opened up next to the terminal. Samus shoved her arm cannon inside and downloaded the bases map and recharged her Energy Shields. She noticed that the lock on the door was that broken by Missiles, and could only be re-opened by an energy hit until it was unlocked. She moved the techs aside and targeted the door. She fired a Missile at it, opening it. She ran through it and turned down the hall, back into the room she woke up in. She checked her map and fired at the far wall with a charged Plasma Wave beam. The wall broke open slightly, revealing a framework of support beams. She switched to Cluster Missiles and fired at the wall. It broke away, and the supports buckled. She checked her map again, closed it, and fired her Energy Projector beam at it. It slowly cut away into the wall, and slowly drained her Energy Shields. After awhile, the beam hit a loose piece of metal and was directed upwards. More time passed as the beam cut through the wall, and a loud screech was heard. Her nightmare flashed back into her mind, and the screech continued on and on. After realizing that she was low on Shielding, she stopped firing the beam. The screeching stop as well.  
  
She ran towards the wall, not bothering to slow down. Her Speed Booster kicked on and she ran through the wall, stopping at the metal piece and ducked. She rolled into her Morph Ball and Super Jumped up the tunnel. She crashed into the ceiling of the room above. She un-rolled and quickly noticed the situation. A Goltronga Warrior was half vaporized, trying to claw its way towards her, awhile five others were being held at bay by constant Trooper fire. She also noticed a terminal behind her, and opened the port to refill her Shields. She charged up her Energy Projector and began firing into the Warriors. They quickly vaporized, but Samus' Energy Shields drained faster. She stopped with one unit left and recharged again. All of the Warriors had been vaporized but one. The last one leapt at Samus while she was recharging and clawed at her suit. It ripped a hole into her back and sunk it claws in. Samus flinched.  
  
The Troopers opened fire on it. It's began to spew spit from its mouth onto Samus' wound. Samus flinched more than before, crying out in agony. She removed her arm cannon and began charging it again. The Warrior began to gyrate from the building energy, and began to decay when it started to leak out onto it. Samus' full charge was depleted, but the Warrior had died and she plugged into the terminal again. She felt her back when she was done. It was bloody but healed. Her suit had a hole in it. She looked around the room as her suits Energy Shield leaked out. She couldn't find the Energy Units that creatures usually left behind, but instead found their spines, glowing an orange. She went over to one and picked it up. It instantly dissolved in her hand. She picked up the others, each behaving the same. Oddly, her exposed back wasn't cold from the room anymore. She felt it again, and her suit had healed.  
  
She left the room at full speed and ran through the dark halls towards her ship. Her Speed Booster kicked on again, so she ran through the walls fearfully. She wasn't afraid of running through the walls. It was because her suit had healed. She busted out through the wall and jumped into her ship. She plugged into it and began a full diagnostics. After it reported she was fine, she sighed of relief and moved her ship over some stable ground. She jumped back out after refilling and proceeded into the base again, through the hole she had just made. There were holes along the path, suggesting she ran through tall rooms. She went deep into the cave outside, but found it to be caved in from the previous attack.  
  
Samus ran out of the cave, Booster kicking on. She made a hard turn and ran into the bases new hole, back to the lab. Upon entering, it, she stopped, skidding to a halt. It was populated with scientists, empty tubes, troopers, and constructors. From her skidding, she knocked over one of the tubes. It fell over, breaking, emptying its green gel onto the floor. The sight of the gel made Samus want to vomit. She asked if there was any such place for it, and was directed to the tunnel the Warriors came from. She leaned over the temporary barrier and removed her helmet. She vomited onto the stone, which began to sizzle. This attracted the attention of the scientists.  
  
"How is that?" one asked.  
  
"Perhaps the rock is weak to hydrochloric acid?" another asked.  
  
"Let's test that." a third said, going to a cabinet and removing a vial. They went back over to the experiment site and dumped the contents onto the rock, along a straight path towards the vomit. It did not sizzle. Samus began to get nervous, beginning to sweat. She removed her gauntlet and wiped the sweat away, some getting onto the rock. The droplets began to sizzle. Her face was turning purple, so she vomited again. The rock sizzled some more, and Samus' face began to return to normal. But it didn't return to its previously pale self, it went to a pale blue color. She looked at her hand. It was the same. She put her gauntlet and suit back on, and began to explore the tunnel.  
  
After getting a few feet in, she screeched out in agony. Greenish-blue claws sprouted from her back. Her left hand ripped open, revealing claws instead of fingers. Her arm cannon almost busted apart, exposing crab-like claws. The front of her helmet peeled away as a monstrous set of mandibles sprouted through. Her eyes were a dark orange with a hue of yellow. Her legs had split into three pairs of claws, her knees inverting. Three tails sprouted from her back last, with a claw similar to her right arm on the end of each. She ran at the scientists with great speed, grabbing one with her left claws. She devoured them whole, and moved onto the next one, doing the same. She slowly devoured each one. She noticed an item which looked similar to Chozo design on a counter. She raised her left arm and a tentacle shot out from it, grabbing it and pulling it back.  
  
The Troopers opened fire on her. She turned towards them and placed all seven claw fingers around her right claw, and fired multiple missiles at them. Their suits began to dissolve from the toxins. Samus began to glow a red, and it slowly concentrated towards her claw-cannon. She fired, vaporizing most of the wall and many Troopers. She rampaged throughout the base, consuming everyone she saw. She made it back to her ship, and saw the female scientist that greeted her earlier. Samus approached her and lifted her up with her tentacle. She sniffed her carefully, checking everywhere. She stuck her tongue out the scientist from in between her mandibles, and licked her face. Samus pulled her closer and stuck her head into her mandibles. She pulled her out shortly afterwards, head-and-all, and lifted her into the air. A clawlike tentacle shot out from Samus' lower stomach and into the scientists. Samus pumped some sort of fluid into her. The scientist had a look of glee. Samus pulled her claw out and placed the scientist onto her back. She ran off the cliff and down the mountain, into the lush forests below.

* * *

**Space Pirate Frigate, in orbit around Felzeoa** "Sir, we have another report in from our informant. She says that the Hunter devoured everything within the base and has become a Goltronga hybrid, and has inherited the best of both species. She also claims to be carrying the Hunters hybrid offspring, but logic defies this statement." a Space Pirate said.  
  
"Good. It's just a matter of time before we tame the Hunter." another Pirate said.  
  
"If we can't?" a third asked.  
  
"We will not be able to defeat the Hunter then, but putting it into containment can still fulfill our cause." replied the second. "Either way, there will be a force that nothing can stop, under our control."

* * *

The female scientist was still on Samus' back. She tapped her on the shoulder. Samus stopped.  
  
"Yeeth?" Samus said.  
  
"I... need to rest. The offspring is going to be born soon." the scientist said.  
  
"Reetht ith good... We reetht here Theelea." Samus said, lifting 'Silia' off her back.  
  
Silia laid down on the ground. Samus stood over her. Hours had past, and Silia had finally conceived the offspring. It ripped through her stomach with a claw and climbed out. Silia's stomach quickly healed. The offspring climbed onto Samus and cut a hole into her stomach and climbed in. Silia climbed back onto Samus' back.  
  
Samus' suit had changed drastically. Most of it had been ripped away, so what was left were some trace designs on Samus' right claw-cannon from the arm cannon, a blue sphere integrated into her left claw-hand that glows when animals are near, and some veins leading from her neck to her back. Everything else was gone. Her mandibles were now gold tinted, but covered in blood and still blue. Samus continued on, looking for someone to eat. A few weeks later, the offspring had cut out of Samus' stomach, and looked a lot like a human. It was still a pale blue and had two mandibles, but it had three fingers and a thumb on each hand and was devoid of any claws.  
  
"I want to name it." Silia said.  
  
"Itth a hee." Samus said.  
  
"Yes it is. I'm naming it Orion." Silia said.  
  
"Orion? Me Orion?" Orion asked.  
  
"Yeeth. Yoo Oryon."  
  
"Me feel danger. Me want danger!" Orion said, running off.

* * *

**Space Pirate Frigate, in orbit around Felzeoa** "Sir, the informant has finally reported. Though the Offspring has been born, it ran off after growing to a Hatchling. It is less of a Goltronga, but more Human. She suspects it sensed something new, and went to check it out. It was heading towards the Hunters ship." a Space Pirate said.  
  
"Hmm. This doesn't bode too well. Send a Surveillance Team to monitor it." another Ordered.  
  
"Does the same apply for that Federation shuttle thats entering the atmosphere?" a third asked.  
  
"Yes. They are not to engage combat until the order is given." a fourth replied.

* * *

A Federation shuttle landed near Samus' ship. It had been rusting over the last two months, and it was barely hovering off the ground. The Troopers piled out and stormed the base. They found nothing. Everything was painted a dark crimson and destroyed. They came back out and saw Orion.  
  
"Hold your fire, its a human!" One of them ordered.  
  
"Hyoomen?" Orion asked.  
  
"Sir, it looks like one of them!"  
  
"Me Orion. Me feel you be danger. Me hungry." Orion said, and leapt towards a Trooper. He tried closing his mandibles over his neck, but they could only fit over his wrist. He bit off his finger, then spit it out.  
  
"You no good. Me hungry!" Orion said. All the Troopers looked at him weapon ready. The lead Trooper reached into his pocket and tossed him some crackers, after opening them. Orion went to the Trooper and tried eating the plastic wrapping. "No good!" he said.  
  
"Eat those." said the Trooper Sargeant, pointing at the crackers. Orion bent down and ate the crackers.  
  
"Good! More!" Orion said. The Troopers looked at their Sargeant, who nodded. They all tossed him opened crackers. Orion ate all of them. "Good! More!"  
  
"No more here." Sarge stated. "We have more home. You come home with us?"  
  
"Me hungry. Those good. Me want more. Me come." Orion said.  
  
"Sarge! We can't bring that with us! It might eat us!"  
  
"You saw how he rejected your finger. He doesn't like our taste. Get in." Sarge said. Everyone got in. Orion got in before the Sarge, and the shuttle took off.

* * *

**Space Pirate Frigate, in orbit around Felzeoa** "Sir, the Surveillance Team reports that the Federation shuttle has left the surface, taking the Offspring with it!" a Space Pirate reported.  
  
"No! I do not tolerate failure! Kill everyone in that team! Status report on the bases!" a second demanded.  
  
"Both bases have been complete. Construction of the third has been aborted due to the Goltronga presence, and the fourth has been attacked by the Hunter. Casualties are few, but the base was destroyed." a third said.  
  
"Some good news. Send Science Team in to begin their experiments!" said the second.

* * *

**Space Pirate Frigate, descending towards Felzeoa, two and a half weeks later** "Sir, Science Team reports that many experiments have been successful, and the only ones that failed are using cold containment methods on Goltronga." a Space Pirate reports.  
  
"Good. Any news on the Offspring?" a second asks.  
  
"No." a third reports.  
  
"It's been twenty cycles! This can't be happening!" a fourth yells.  
  
"But it is. Reports indicate that the Offspring may actually be onboard, via small pod we picked up." a fifth says.  
  
"Has the pod been opened?" the second asks.  
  
"No, but it has been confirmed not to be a sabotage." the fifth reports.  
  
"Weapons fired on Deck Seven!" reports the fourth.  
  
"It was sabotage!" the second says, killing the fifth with its energy scythe.  
  
"It's moving upwards! Sealing command center!" reports the fourth. The doors of the command center swirled shut, and heavy metal plates slid over them. "It's on Deck Three!"  
  
Explosions echo throughout the small, circular room. Metal is being stressed, bangs are leading to echos, and several Pirates cover the doors.  
  
"Entering Felzeoa atmosphere. Hull slowly degrading, and there are no signs of weapons fire or movement throughout the ship." the fourth reports.  
  
Several holes are formed from the blast doors. The guarding Pirates are set on fire and are being burned to death. A large blast melts half the blast doors and most of the surrounding wall. A yellow disc cuts through it and lands in the center of the room, exploding in an EMP blast. The computers begin to spark and the lights spark as well. Smoke envelopes the room. Every Space Pirate inside has their cannons centered in the middle. A humming noise heard, and several splattering sounds. The smoke clears, showing no signs of intrusion, but half of the Pirates were cut in half vertically or splattered across the room.  
  
Multiple energy shots come from the dome ceiling, killing some Pirates. They all take aim at its general direction. It's someone it a white Power Suit! The portion that should be yellow is black, and the portion that should be red is gray. The visor is blue. A white conical arm cannon with a black barrel and black engravings points at more Pirates, firing orange blasts of energy that scatter. Another arm cannon is attached to the wall, emitting a blue glow. The glow turns into a cable, and the figure pushes off the wall to the the other side, letting the cable dissippate and re-form, latching onto the other side. More blasts are fired. The figure releases the cable and lands in a group of Pirates. It rolls up into a ball, designed with the barrel of the arm cannons on both sides, and dodges the point-blank energy fire. Two yellow orbs form at the designs and are released, suspended in air. They explode violently, throwing the dead Pirates into the walls and launching the ball upwards. It unfolds into the figure and continues firing. All the Space Pirates have been killed.  
  
The figure jumps towards the center of the room again, flipping rapidly as a yellow disc of energy engulfs them. They take aim at every computer and fires. The lights flicker back to life. A door remains opened on the far side. The person rolls back into a ball and drops two blue orbs, unrolls and runs out through the door. The orbs explode with force, and the figure is thrown into a nearby wall. The wall panels break and electricity flows through their suit. The force catches up to them and carries them through the corridors and eventually stops, throwing them into an elevator shaft. They fall far, but eventually shoot one last electric blue cable into a wall, carrying them into the hanger. Space Pirates fire at them, and the figure fires six missiles, three from each cannon, at them. They run quickly towards a large blue ship, leaving a sonic wake. Nearby Pirates are pulled towards the wake and thrown torwards the figure like leaves in a gale wind. The person gets in and engages the engines, lifts off the ground, and fires a few shots at some more Pirates, and flies out the closing hanger bay doors.  
  
The frigate falls from the sky and crashes, while the small assault ship flies towards the Federation base. The person inside convulses, and their suit changes to be a normal white-colored Power Suit with one arm cannon. A message blinks on their HUD:  
  
Missile Launcher destroyed  
  
Screw Attack destroyed  
  
Morph Ball destroyed  
  
Morph Ball Bomb destroyed  
  
Power Bomb destroyed  
  
Plasma Bomb destroyed  
  
Spazer Beam destroyed  
  
Grapple Beam destroyed  
  
Thermal Visor destroyed Varia Suit destroyed  
  
Double Cannon destroyed  
  
Mission Update  
  
They open the update. It tells about the good job on destroying the Frigate, and how they are to now investigate the planet and finish Samus' job. But the last line reads: _Good Luck, Orion._****

* * *

This chapters done. This is my first Metroid fic, and I think I did a good job with it. If you liked it, review. If you didn't like it, review. If you want, you can give some guesses about the plot, characters, or leave some suggestions about future chapters. It may be a while until next update, which only comes with a number of reviews! 


	2. Logs and Conspiracy

Long update. Wow... Well, back to the mystery of the Cobalt Terror!

* * *

**Gamma Base, Arrn Chasm**  
  
"Sir, we have lost contact with Harbinger!" a Space Pirate reported.  
  
"What!?" a second asked.  
  
"Radar faintly detected a large object moving rapidly. It stopped sometime back." the first replied.  
  
"We've tried communicating with the incoming Frigate, but we have no response. It may have been Harbinger that crashed, or it is quite possible that the chasm is blocking our transmissions." a third reported.  
  
"And we've also tried communicating with Beta Base, but we have the same problem." the first reported.  
  
"So... It seems that our only means of escape is potentially gone, and we are cut off from the world." the second stated.  
  
"That would appear to be correct. However, if Harbinger did indeed crash, then we must send Security Teams to attempt to recover our cargo. We've made it this far, and we need to continue." a fourth replied.  
  
"Excellent! If we are cut off from the world, the Warriors will never find us, and neither will the Federation!" the second yelled with glee.

* * *

The large, sleek assault ship landed nearby the rusting and barely operable Hunter Ship. It is half tilted, sinking into the ground. The entire back half of the roof of the assault ship slid backwards and behind, covering the main engines. The primary thrusters spewed heat downwards as small clawlike arms grasped the ground. The Federation base was almost in complete disrepair. The nearby water source was flooding, and portions of the original landing site were missing, presumably fell into the forests below.  
  
Orion, clad in a white Power Suit, stood up from the cramped chair at the cockpit of the assault ship and hit a button on the control panel. A small sphere popped out of the top, and Orion grabbed it. He locked it into his arm cannon and got out. The roof-hatch of the assault ship slid back into place. Orion did not go towards the base, but rather Samus' old ship. He walked around it cautiously, inspecting it, as if something would jump out of nowhere and attack him. Nothing. He jumped on top and surveyed the area. Nothing in sight, and nothing was on his radar. He looked down for a hatch. The Federation explained that Samus had always used a hatch in the ceiling to get in and out. But the hatch was nowhere to be found.  
  
Orion switched to his Scanning Visor. He looked around the ship for any hidden point of entry, but only said that the ship was rusting over and running on very little power. It did show that rust was gathering in an odd pattern on top. Orion inspected this section, closed his Scanning Visor, and hit the location a few times with his hand. The rust broke slightly, and was more hollow than the rest of it. Orion stood up and pointed his arm cannon at the rust. He was about to fire at it, but decided against it. Something or someone might pick up the weapons fire. Then again, if it could pick up weapons fire, it could pick up almost any change in energy. He shot the rust several times. It collapsed on its own accord, and Orion waited for a few seconds before jumping in.  
  
He quickly looked around the area. It was rusting inside, but so badly as it was outside. There was only rust where air could get in or come in direct contact with, so only the area around, and including, the forward viewport was rusting. The ceiling around the hatch was rusting as well. The rear area as well as some spots of the floor had traces of rust as well. Orion approached the computer. The screen could barely be read. He reached around the base of it, near the floor, looking for an access point. He found one, slightly rusty. He punched it open.  
  
Inside was a network of faintly glowing cables of different colors. On the side was a plate. He pulled a similar plate out of his arm cannon and set it onto the floor. He stood up and took aim at it. He fired several shots until the plate began to glow. He reached down and picked it up, putting it over the plate inside the computer. It locked and was very hot. The computer, as well as essential systems kicked to life. The engine strained and sputtered. It stopped eventually.  
  
Orion accessed the computer logs. The last time the computer system had been used was for a suit diagnostics, and that was almost four months ago. He checked it for any mission data, but had all been dumped onto a mobile source. Samus' computer on her suit, no doubt. He checked for any sort of logs that may have been useful. After some time, he found one that logged at different points in time, all on the same day. The first was a small band of medium-sized beings, investigating the area, then leaving. The second was almost two hours later, a shuttle approaching the site, and another band of smaller beings than the last came out of it, also investigating. The third was the same scene, only ten minutes later, as a small band of the medium sized beings returned, but waited away from the second band of beings. The fourth log was that of himself, approaching the band of small beings, the troopers, and involving a small scurmish, when he had attempted to eat one of them. They all got into the shuttle and left. Orion heard some strange sound and looked up. The wind outside had just kicked up and must be blowing inside the opened hatch.  
  
The fifth was just two minutes later, as the band of medium sized beings, six in all, approached the ship. They all got in. The next log was almost immediately afterwards, but all it contained was the timestamp. The next log was that of the medium beings getting out, just as a large group of small approached from the side. The two groups met, and only four medium beings were able to leave after clearing out the smaller beings. One of them apparently got back into the ship, and a portion of the larger group followed. The four went back to the ship and closed the hatch, then moved away.  
  
The eighth log was horrifying-- another large group of the small creatures approached the ship and crawled in through the back. Orion began to reach for his plate in the computer before examining the next log, and pointed his arm cannon at the viewport. He continued. The ninth was a report of engine failure. The tenth was at the same time, and it was a video. It showed the cowardly Space Pirate in an extreme state of panic. It was looking around suspiciously, as if any portion of the ship could just come alive and attack it. The slime on the floor began to move, and the strange spines it covered along with it. They formed an odd breed of Goltronga and attacked the Space Pirate. It opened the hatch to the engine to try and use the heat to kill it, but it had failed. It got sucked away from view. Eventually, a tentacular-claw-hand extended from the hidden area and closed the hatch. The log also showed a record of an abnormal sound. Orion played it. It was the engine kind of puttering dead, and some strange groans and slithering was also heard during and afterwards. A strange slithering-clicking sound then followed, and the strange appendage closed the hatch. It made the same sound the Orion heard several minutes ago.

* * *

**Gamma Base, Arrn Chasm** "Sir, a Surveillance Team reports that an assault ship from the Harbinger has landed at the Federation base. The only being inside, looking like the Hunter in muted color, climbed out and inspected the Hunters Ship." a Space Pirate reported.  
  
"Impossible. The Hunter has become a hybrid. She can no longer assume the form of her weaker self." a second retorted.  
  
"But it is true. They have a video record of this case." the first explained, bringing up a holographic viewscreen.  
  
"Play it." a third commanded. It did indeed show a 'Hunter in muted color' come out. But that is Orion.  
  
"I know what this is!" the second yelled.  
  
"What then?" a fourth asked.  
  
"If the Harbinger has crashed, it cannot be due to some minor error. It would have had to have either lost its Command Team or be heavily damaged. We have managed to retrieve a communication from the approximate time from when the Harbinger was going down. It details how a small pod was recovered, how it was Federation sabotage, and how what inside was a Hunter with a second weapon, in muted color. It quickly decimated the Command Team, and then a strange occurance was followed by static. This strange occurance is an EMP strain." the second explained.  
  
"Yes, and we have also received a communication from an Assault Team in the hanger. They explain how this Hunter is possibly just some Federation robot made to replicate the real Hunter. It also explains that several reports from other Decks on the ship were attacked by something so similar to the Hunter, that the only difference was that it was apparently muted in color and had a second cannon." a fifth explained.  
  
"So, what you are saying is that this being is not the Hunter, yet is?" the third asked.  
  
"I think he's saying that this is not the Hunter. This is the Hatchling." the fourth detailed.  
  
"What?" a sixth asked.  
  
"The Federation took the Hatchling when it was young. They may have trained it to be their new Hunter. It may have exhibited traits of both Goltronga and the Hunter. The Federation must have found some way to block off the Goltronga hunger and focus on what good they could get out of it." the fourth explained.  
  
"But then where did this suit of Chozo design come from?" the third asked.  
  
"Assuming that from the way it seems to be built, it would take extreme amounts of strength to operate it, strength that only a Goltronga Warrior could produce. So, that must mean that it is not biologically engineered, but rather it is just something physically similar, built by the Federation. It's mechanics must be complex if it is able to match the functions of the Morph Ball function." the sixth explained.  
  
"Are you saying that the Federation has somehow managed to perfectly replicate the complex Chozo secret of the Morph Ball before us? They are just simpletons, and cannot think for anyone but themselves. They could never learn the Chozo secret with what limited technology they have." the second said.  
  
"We can replicate such a feature. We have done it before. It is just that we have always focused on the unit to change, and the specimen to somehow accept this forced change. They cannot do so if they are not willing." a seventh explained.  
  
"Nonsense! They willing engaged the prototypes!" the first said.  
  
"That may be so, but that is only their conscience obliging. Their body must oblige as well." the seventh explained, standing up from its curved chair, walking around the room. "We can no longer use mechanical means to change an organic body, just as we cannot use organic means to change a mechanical body. We can only use something of similar design to change the other."  
  
"What are you saying?" the third asked.  
  
"If we want to replicate the Morph Ball, we should not use machines to do so. An inanimate cannot affect the animate! We must use a unit composed of organic build to proceed. This organic build has to be able to respond with the organic user. Machines can never read someones body movements accurately, but something organic can. So, I propose that we begin research on organic materials that can be used to ease the body into a sphere. We will integrate mechanics into this organic material to get it to perform its function, as well as undo it." the seventh explained.  
  
"Then the Pirates being tested will be exposed and defenseless!" the others said.  
  
"We can work that out later." the seventh said, walking out the door.

* * *

Orion downloaded the ships entire loggings onto the plate and began to slowly pull it out. He looked at a freeze clip of when the Space Pirate was dragged into the engine, and compared it to what happened just minutes ago. He did an overlap of both, seeing that it is very possible that the Space Pirate has mutated and is standing right behind him. The recent clip does not show this, but a mutation can adopt the ability to hide itself perfectly. He got the ship to perform its last task-- a thermal reading of the interior. Indeed, there was something behind him. But it wasn't just behind him, it was breathing down his neck.

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Psychie: Look at those Pirates conspire!  
Anyways, leave a review. I would like to know what people think of this latest fic of mine. And I'd like to hear what peoples opinions are about what might happen in later chapters, or the next. And if you are one of those people who just waits until a story is finished to review it, you'll be waiting a long time. So, review now instead!  
Oh, and if you like how this is writen, and you also like 'Yu-Gi-Oh!' and/or 'Yu-Yu-Hakusho', you should go check out some of my other stuff. Or you can check my bio. It has a link to my deviantART account, which pictures what Orion looks like! 


End file.
